Atlanta, GA – Rep. John Lewis, the Civil Rights legend who spent decades fighting for freedom, both as a Freedom Rider and as a member the U.S. Congress, died on Friday (July 17). He was 80.
Lewis was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer in December 2019 and had served as a Congressman for the state Georgia since 1986.
His legacy was not lost on the generation that came after him as hundreds mourned him on social media. Men and women such as Diddy, Pharrell, Questlove, Ava DuVernay, Snoop Dogg, Jaime Foxx, T.I., Killer Mike, Jermaine Dupri and more gave their tributes to Lewis, recognizing his tireless work as a civil rights activist, Congressman and fearless fighter in the name freedom.
“To make it hard, to make it difficult almost impossible for people to cast a vote is not in keeping with the democratic process,” Questlove wrote. “Don’t give up the fight. Rest In Power to John Lewis. Thank you for your service.”
“There will never be another one like you… We could only hope to be as Brave and as fearless as you,” Foxx wrote. “rest in POWER!”
Diddy echoed Foxx’s sentiments. “We will finish what you started ON GOD! #GoodTrouble”
Lewis was no stranger to connecting to Hip Hop. In 2008, he made an appearance in Jeezy‘s video for “My President,” on the heels Barack Obama’s historic run to the White House.
Dubbed “The Conscience Congress,” Lewis was the son sharecroppers and more than a half-century following his own battles in the Civil Rights movement, he hailed the global demonstrations taking place in the wake the death George Floyd in May.
“It was very moving, very moving to see hundreds thousands people from all over America and around the world take to the streets — to speak up, to speak out, to get into what I call ‘good trouble,’” Lewis told “CBS This Morning” in June.
View more the tributes to the late Congressman and legend below.